ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res.

12(02), 294-305

Journal Homepage: - www.journalijar.com

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/18294

DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/18294

RESEARCH ARTICLE
ELEMENTS OF QUALITY PRESENT IN THE CURRICULAR DESIGN OF THE TECHNICAL
PROGRAMS OF THE SCHOOL OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF
COSTA RICA

Steve Alí Monge Poltronieri

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Manuscript Info Abstract
……………………. ………………………………………………………………
Manuscript History Today's education requires an important adaptation to the social and
Received: 15 December 2023 economic changes that surround it. Therefore, actions must be
Final Accepted: 18 January 2024 developed in conjunction with the different social actors to allow the
Published: February 2024 design of educational programs with a more focused vision on local
territories and that address the needs of specific populations,
Key words:-
Administration, Curricular Design, encouraging discussion and construction of the knowledge, as well as
Quality, Technical Education the possibility of increasing opportunities. The current research
examines the quality components that are present in the curricular
design of professional technical education and training programs in the
School of Administration. A phenomenological technique with a
qualitative approach was used to determine the presence of elements of
educational quality, components of the curricular design used and the
connection of the technical programs with current standards. It has been
concluded that these technical programs incorporate quality elements in
their curricular design.

Copy Right, IJAR, 2024,. All rights reserved.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Introduction:-
Labor markets are becoming increasingly demanding and demanding, they are dynamic, changing and, above all,
they incorporate a series of characteristics typical of globalization and global economic structures. Given this, the
need arises for training and constant updating, as mechanisms to respond in a timely and efficient manner to such
demands.

According to the Higher Council of Education [CSE] (2018) of Costa Rica, technical education represents an
opportunity that facilitates the achievement of knowledge, skills and abilities through a reinforcement and
restructuring of current study plans, along with other aspects such as equipment and infrastructure, teacher training
and the link with the country's productive sectors.

Likewise, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] (2018) suggests that for an
educational program to be solid and successful, it must contain aspects such as the involvement of all social sectors,
as well as the parties interested in it. the design of educational policies, equitable opportunities for education,
educational focus on results, and the ability to base educational reforms and establish their respective viability.

In accordance with what was mentioned above, this research seeks to generate an impact on the curricular design of
study plans at a technical level in administration by the School of Administration of the Faculty of Social Sciences
of the National University, with the aim purpose of maintaining quality aspects in such designs.

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Corresponding Author:- Steve Alí Monge Poltronieri
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Current education requires an important adaptation to the social and economic changes that surround it, therefore,
according to the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica [MEP] (2008), actions must be developed in
conjunction with the different social actors that allow the design of educational programs with a vision more focused
on local territories, and that attend to the particular needs of specific populations, from which discussion and the
construction of knowledge are encouraged, as well as the possibility of guaranteeing the quality of education. .

This is because it is required that the development of the curricular design involves and incorporates elements
capable of being observable and measurable, that allow controls to be exercised over them and that, in turn, allows
the administration that executes it to be able to make decisions about the course that Is taken. With the latter,
although it is true that standardization of processes is required, it is necessary that there is an adequate margin of
flexibility that allows the curricular design to adapt to the changing needs of the environment in which it is applied.

At all times, the problem question to which this research refers seeks to know the quality in the curricular design, so
it is necessary to keep in mind the aspects highlighted by the Organization of Ibero-American States (2010) in which
it highlights that They must consider efficiency in the use of human, material, technological and time resources, as
well as effectiveness in meeting the goals and objectives proposed in education, in addition to aspects of equity that
allow individuals to achieve learning.

One of the aspects of great value to consider has to do with the great diversity of technical and professio nal training,
education and training programs that exist in the country, and since they are not properly regulated by a specific
entity in this matter, it becomes a It is a great challenge for education to be able to measure its quality in design and,
above all, the learning results achieved.

Additionally, it has been detected that there is not only diversity in the variability in the name of technical training in
Costa Rica, but also in terms of the characteristics of the training, for example, there is diversity in the number of
certifiable hours, as well as in the entry requirements, but also, the profile of the person who enters and the person
who leaves the training is different even though it is the same technician, only it is offered by a different institution.

Furthermore, as mentioned by the Higher Council of Education et al., (2019) in the National Qualifications
Framework, there is no congruence between the curricular offer of technical training programs and the occupational
profiles established by the Ministry of Labor and Security. Social of Costa Rica, the latter is the competent entity in
the governance and direction of labor matters in the country.

In this way, it becomes completely necessary to be able to articulate curricular development with the needs required
by the population in educational matters, and in this case in terms of technical training, but, in addition, the
economic sectors must be involved, so that they can also participate in the development of the technical offer that is
managed from the respective educational centers.

The concept of education according to Carvajal (2022) refers to the phenomenon through which, through
socialization, people can internalize knowledge, norms, guidelines, and values, that is, they apprehend the culture of
the society in which they live. is immersed. Education can then be understood as the ability of all people to
constantly acquire and develop attitudes, knowledge, and skills, which allows them to adapt to the changes that
occur in their environment.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that according to Verdeja (2019), who alludes to Freire, he maintains that education
finds its true value, sense of being and objective, insofar as it promotes the transformation of the social, economic,
and cultural environment for a fairer and more equitable for the people who live in society. In this way, education is
interpreted as a means through which it is possible to generate important changes and transformations that allow
better human and social development in our contexts.

Therefore, when talking about education, Montañez and Suárez (2018) mention that it is important to understand it
as the means through which people can develop and opting for opportunities that allow personal and social progress.
Thus, education must exist as a right that allows people to acquire and develop skills and abilities to improve
themselves personally and participate in the construction and reconstruction of the society in which they operate.

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For its part, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) appears on the scene given that, when people
face a process through which the development of specific competencies in a particular area of knowledge is
intended, in education it is It is possible to talk about education and professional technical training, which has a
wealth of benefits for people, and which is in an important process of evolution, moving from non-formal education
to its formalization.

This is why, when referring to technical education, it was originally characterized as an opportunity for additional
training to academic training that promoted the exercise of different professions once academic studies were
completed. For Arias et al., (2018), technical training was oriented towards those incipient economic activities,
mainly related to the industry, and that manages to mark a clear beginning for careers in the administrative and
accounting areas.

Methodology:-
A qualitative phenomenological type of research is used, in which the general objective is to determine the elements
of quality present in the curricular design of the technical programs of the School of Administration of the Faculty of
Social Sciences of the National University of Costa Rica, in 2023. From this general objective, three categories are
established to be considered: the aspects of educational quality, the elements of curricular design and current
regulations.

With respect to the construction of the instruments, there is a need to carry out two interviews, one directed at the
TVET coordinator and another at the person in charge of advising and endorsing these programs, in addition to a
documentary review guide. Both instruments consisted of 15 questions.

The questions are properly organized so that questions 1 to 5 correspond to determining the presence of the aspects
of educational quality in the technical programs of the School of Administration, for which the relevant aspects of
the academic offer, relevance, equitable access, efficiency, and effectiveness. Next, questions from 6 to 10 are
constructed, which correspond to the elements of the curricular design used in the development of the technical
programs of the School of Administration and for which the aspects of fundamental and specific competencies, the
contents, are used, the teaching and learning strategies, the activities, the means and resources for learning and the
learning evaluation process contemplated in its design.

The next block of questions made up of questions 11 to 15, involves the linking of the technical programs of the
School of Administration with the current regulations, so the aspects of the institutional legal framework were
considered, as well as the legal framework. national and the international legal framework, the latter when
applicable, additionally incorporating inter-institutional and international agreements.

With respect to the interpretation of the results obtained because of the application of the different instruments and
techniques described, an analysis will be carried out in which from descriptive statistics and from the construction of
tables with absolute frequencies and relative frequencies, as well as averages, will allow the validation and
verification of the problem question of the research being developed.

Results:-
In the qualitative analysis that is to be carried out, the data that was produced because of the application of the
interviews to the people in charge of the design of the technical programs in the School of Administration (PEA) and
the Vice-Rector's Office will be presented. of Teaching (PVD) of the National University, as well as the
documentary review also designated for this type of analysis.

The three categories under analysis are 1. Presence of aspects of educational quality in the technical programs of the
School of Administration, 2. Elements of the curricular design used in the development of the technical programs of
the School of Administration and finally 3. Linking the technical programs of the School of Administration with
current regulations.

In this first category, the quality of education has been conceptually defined as that which presents aspects of
efficiency in terms of the use of resources, effectiveness in meeting objectives, equity in achieving learning results
in the subjects (Organization of the Ibero-American States, 2010). Given this, the need to analyze the elements of

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relevance of the academic offer, relevance of the offer to the environment, equitable access to the academic offer,
effectiveness in optimal learning, efficiency in the use of resources is contemplated.

Regarding the relevance of TVET programs, the PEA emphasizes two aspects to highlight, the first of them is the
relevance and link of the technical programs with the national context, this is reinforced with the link of these to the
guidelines established by the National Council of Rectors (CONARE) in conjunction with the National Learning
Institute (INA) (Monge, 2023).

Additionally, the PEA mentions another point, which is the detection of needs in the country's productive sectors,
which they carry out through market studies, and in which they have detected the need for specific training in
Service Centers, in Financial -accountants, in Human Resources, in Marketing, and in Logistics, but which also
requires the use of technological tools such as SAP (Systems, Applications and Products for data processing), which
in the words of the PEA corresponds to software business mostly used on a global scale, (Monge, 2023), and its
management is highly demanded in Costa Rica by employers.

For its part, the PVD addresses the question by highlighting that the technicians from the School of Administration
are relevant because they respond to the current and latent needs of a labor market, which, as these technicians are
aligned with the national qualifications framework, then become relevant since they agree with national needs and
with the specific area of development of the School of Administration (Monge, 2023).

Through the documentary review, in the first instance, the instruction UNA-VD-DISC-024-2022 issued by the Vice-
Rector of Teaching of the National University, Instruction on the routes for the implementation and execution of the
Vocational Technical Education and Training Programs in the modality of the Institutional System of Permanent
Education, in which the guidelines are established for the creation of educational activities according to the needs of
updating, promotion and deepening (Monge, 2023).

Regarding the relevance of TVET programs, the PEA responds that it is relevant in that it responds to the
identification of market needs, therefore, this identification allows the creation of education programs that improve
people's capabilities, and with In this way, people will achieve greater employability opportunities (Monge, 2023).

The PVD responds on this occasion that relevance is closely linked to the relevance, that as long as the technical
programs are aligned with the needs of the labor markets, they become relevant, since they correspond to the
training of people and the development of skills according to the context in which they are required (Monge, 2023).

With respect to the documentary review, the statement by the Vice-Rector for Teaching of the National University
stands out, in the instruction UNA-VD-DISC-024-2022, where it promotes the creation of TVET programs from the
academic units, in response to the needs of the context and that these programs also respond by being relevant and of
quality (Monge, 2023).

For its part, regarding equitable access to TVET programs, the PEA responds that the main aspect from which
equitable access can be guaranteed in these technical programs corresponds to the fact that they are aligned with the
requirements of the INA, the autonomous institution in charge of ensure technical training and training in the
country, for which a budget is allocated from the Government of the Republic, which allows the INA to offer free
courses and training to the population, by working together with the INA, It aims for equitable access (Monge,
2023).

On the other hand, PEA adds, the National University, being a non-profit organization, seeks to offer products at
cost (Monge, 2023), which implies that only the costs associated with the technical programs must be covered,
without expect an economic return, so the technicians could eventually even become free for the population.

The PVD responds to this question by emphasizing that the proposal of the National University is to be present and
offer academic proposals in all the communities of the country, and that these technical programs (permanent
education) respond directly to the social connection of the university with society by offering training opportunities
to people who for one reason or another could not enter the university's regular education programs (Monge, 2023).

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On the other hand, with respect to the documentary review guide, the National University, through the Vice-Rector's
Office for Teaching, promotes institutional transversal axes, which through incorporation into all learning actions
guarantee humanistic training. The transversal axes that the National University promotes in its academic actions are
universal access to learning, gender equality and equity, interculturality, environmental responsibility and health
(Vice Chancellor's Office for Teaching, 2023).

Regarding the way in which effectiveness in learning is guaranteed, the PEA responds that effectiveness must be
measured, that at this time there are no results of said measurement, since the technical programs were only
designed this year, however, Work is being done in line with the requirements of public policy on the matter, so it is
expected that the learning results will be in accordance with those expected (Monge, 2023).

For its part, the PVD responds that regardless of the program to which it refers, whether from continuing education,
undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees, the University must guarantee quality, initially through
relevance and relevance as stated. mentioned above, but also through the effectiveness of learning, this is because
alignment with the national qualifications framework requires the development of competencies and learning results
(Monge, 2023).

With respect to the documentary review guide, the technical programs have learning evaluation processes, which
will be further explored later in which it is seen that activities will be carried out continuously and permanently to
verify the scope of the learning outcomes, so effectiveness in programs can be shaped by their presence in programs.

And regarding the way in which efficiency in the use of resources is guaranteed, the response provided by the PEA
mentions that, according to the studies themselves, they are adapting to the use of resources and even time, in order
to achieve the greatest possible impact.

The PVD mentions that this is closely linked to the aspects of rationality and sustainability, since the National
University seeks to make rational use of resources, which allows achieving the objectives by making responsible and
timely use of resources, which at the same time In turn, it has an impact on the sustainability of activities and goes
hand in hand with environmental culture, which seeks the elimination of waste.

For its part, in the document review guide, for this section, it is possible to show that the technical programs have
been designed in a reasonable time, which implies that since their construction the rational use of resources has been
ensured, but that, Furthermore, these technical programs have a key duration in the development of skills, and
involve the use of technological resources, which enhances their capacity, impact and achievement of objectives.

For this second category, it was possible to conceptually define that the elements of the design contemplate aspects
such as fundamental and specific competencies, the contents of a study plan, strategies in both teaching and
learning, activities, media. and the resources, as well as the evaluation process used, the above are the basis on
which the curricular design is developed (Fernández, 2017).

Regarding how the fundamental competencies and the specific competencies considered in the design of the
technical programs are contemplated, the PEA defines that, being attached to the National Qualifications
Framework, the competencies are duly established, and that, therefore, the mesh The technicians' curricula must be
reviewed and approved by CONARE, with the purpose of directly adhering to the national policy on the matter.

The PVD adds that, in accordance with the national qualification’s framework, the skills for technicians respond in
the first instance to the standards already established at the national level and then to the requirements of each of the
technicians according to their subject or nature. It also highlights that the technical programs respond to a high
practical component that guarantees the development of skills in the student body.

For its part, when applying the documentary review, it is possible to show that the technical programs, in their
design, contemplate the fundamental competencies in each of them, as well as the specific competencies as well,
which can be found described in each of the objectives of the technical programs developed by the School of
Administration.

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It is structured by the contents of the study plan of the technical programs proposed by the School of Administration,
the PEA responds that, when structuring the contents of the technical programs, this is done by ensuring in the first
instance the relationship between content and competence of the national qualification’s framework standards.
However, another important aspect to note is that the contents progressively correspond to the knowledge expected
by the students.

For its part, the PVD adds that it is necessary for the contents to go hand in hand with the learning results, based on
the competencies defined in the standards of national policy. According to this, as long as the competencies of each
technical program are clear, it will be viable to select and structure the contents of any study plan, and technicians in
this case are no exception.

With respect to what was observed in the documentary review, it is possible to determine that the contents are
indeed structured in accordance with the competencies of each of the technicians, responding directly to the specific
objectives of the technicians and therefore adhering to what is stated. established in the standards of the national
qualification’s framework for technical programs.

The teaching and learning strategies incorporated in the technical programs proposed by the School of
Administration, in this case, indicate that from an andragogical model the aim is for the participating people to learn
and develop skills by doing, and also highlights the inclusion of the technological component and the Virtual
platforms that, whether synchronous or asynchronous, allow the student to choose the ideal time and space to learn.

The PVD reinforces and places an important emphasis on the incorporation and development of practical activities
in the technical programs, since it is in practice where the student achieves a better understanding of the theoretical
aspects around the contents that are addressed. Therefore, practice cannot be left aside within teaching and learning
strategies.

For its part, the documentary review guide reveals that the technical programs designed by the School of
Administration, in their teaching and learning mechanisms, incorporate a high practical component for the
development of the contents, which goes hand in hand with what previously noted about the importance of practice
in the training and development processes of skills.

Regarding the activities, means and resources for learning, included in the technical programs, the PEA responds
that the technical programs developed by the School of Administration are very diverse, since there are face-to-face,
virtual and hybrid ones, but that for each of them They seek the development of activities that promote learning
according to the modality in which it is taught. In addition, at the level of means or resources, there are physical
spaces, virtual classrooms and technological tools that allow a better development of the educational process.

On the other hand, the PVD adds that the activities will depend a lot on the type of modality from which the
technical programs are taught, since, in the case of the School of Administration, there are several modalities,
however, the importance of the incorporation that this school has made of technological tools and teaching resources
using technologies.

For its part, the documentary review guide reveals that the technical programs designed by the School of
Administration, in their activities, means and resources, incorporate the development of content through activities
such as projects and tasks, these with a high practical component, which implies the development of skills through
creation, construction and collaboration by the student body.

Regarding the learning evaluation process included in the technical programs proposed by the School of
Administration, the PEA responds that the most traditional ones are used, which are exams, research work and
quizzes, but evaluations are also included in which the technological component is present, such as the use of
dynamic whiteboards.

For its part, the PVD establishes that, in its role as advisor from the Vice-Rector's Office for Teaching, in its
professional experience and in the support it provides in the design of technical programs, it seeks to ensure that
these, when constructing the evaluation strategy, are more dynamic, leaving aside the theoretical types of exams,
and seeking mechanisms to evaluate learning more from practice, more in situ. Additionally, it points out the

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importance of formative evaluation, that, although summative evaluation is a requirement in these technical
programs, it is necessary to pay primary attention to the evaluation during the process.

It can be seen, in the document review guide, that the technical programs duly have a learning evaluation section,
and that, in addition, these are duly identified and programmed, however, they are indicated with generic names
(exams, tasks and mini project), it is not specified what exactly the activities are to be developed in the evaluations.
This is understood in the curricular design since it allows the teacher who develops the evaluation to use any type of
activity to develop it as a task, for example.

In this third category, for which we proceeded in the first instance with the identification and conceptual description,
for which it is established that the regulations refer to a set of social rules or mandates from the authority, which
describe specific duties or actions (Buriticá, 2015).

In this category, the aspects that were considered for the analysis and that were therefore incorporated into the
instruments for collecting information, through the interview with the person in charge of the technical programs of
the School of Administration and the person in charge of these programs in the Vice-Rector's Office for Teaching of
the National University, as well as in the document review guide, are the institutional legal framework, the national
legal framework, the international legal framework, inter-institutional agreements and international agreements.

Firstly, it has to do with how the Institutional Legal Framework is incorporated into the curricular design of the
proposed technical programs, to which the PEA responds that in the case of these technical programs there is strict
adherence to the institutional regulations of the UNA, so that these programs must be reviewed by the authorities of
the Academic Unit, the Faculty, the External Liaison Office and the Vice-Rector's Office for Teaching.

While the PVD adds that the institutional regulations of the National University, which is issued by the Vice-Rector
for Teaching, are in complete compliance with what is established in the National Qualifications Framework,
therefore, from the UNA, the formulation is promoted, the design of technical programs that allow the external
linkage of the university from permanent education, this in accordance with instruction UNA-VD-DISC-024-2022.

Additionally, the PVD mentions that before the instruction there was no document that would normally allow the
creation of technical programs at the UNA, however, at this time observations are being made by the University
Comptroller's Office requesting the homogenization of university continuing education, as well as the creation of
documents that guide the processes and specifications of the quality of continuing education at this university.

According to the document review guide applied, it is possible to point out that Instruction UNA-VD-DISC-024-
2022, which corresponds to the Instruction on the routes for the implementation and execution of the Vocational
Technical Education and Training Programs in the modality of the Institutional System of Permanent Education.

The next of the subcategories, corresponds to the way in which the National Legal Framework is incorporated into
the curricular design of the technical programs proposed by the School of Administration. For which, the PEA that
the technical programs respond directly to the public policy on employability, which is aligned with what emanates
from the social sector of the government, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the INA and others, in the
national qualifications framework, which in accordance with the principle of legality requires that what is expressly
authorized can be done.

To which the PVD responds that in principle the technical programs are aligned with what is established in the
national qualification framework, a position taken by CONARE. However, it is also aligned with the Political
Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica, which promotes education for all people at all levels, and from
CONARE this articulation is also given with the request that levels one of technical education contains 545 hours,
which is equivalent to 12 credits of university education, which could later be equated by the elective courses of the
undergraduate degree curricula.

With respect to the document review guide, it can be seen that there is indeed an important attachment on the part of
the School of Administration regarding the design of the technical programs, with respect to the national legal
framework, since with regard to the national regulations, work is carried out on what is indicated in the national

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qualifications framework, in addition, the university as a public institution adheres to the legal system regarding
education and responds through its commitment to Costa Rican society.

In next subcategory, this consists of the way in which the International Legal Framework is incorporated into the
curricular design of the technical programs proposed by the School of Administration. To which the PEA responds
that in this case some type of international regulation linked or aligned with the design of the technical programs of
the School of Administration is not recognized.

For its part, the PVD indicates that, with respect to the international legal framework, CONARE links the university
with the Central American framework in terms of technical programs, from where efforts are also made for the
internationalization of these programs, so that work can be done jointly with other universities and that these
programs can be recognized.

With respect to the documentary review guide, it was not possible to visualize the specific implications of the
participation of the School of Administration and the design and development of technical programs regarding the
international legal framework; however, the participation and relationship can be identified. of these technical
programs with the Sustainable Development Goals in the 2030 agenda of the United Nations Organization.

Subcategory corresponds to the way in which the Interinstitutional Agreements are incorporated into the curricular
design of the technical programs proposed by the School of Administration. On this occasion, the PEA responds
that, in the case of the School of Administration, there are currently no inter-institutional cooperation or contracting
agreements, however, that it is possible to develop them, but that they must be developed by the university
administration.

For its part, the PVD responds that the inter-institutional relationship is concentrated in the institutions that make up
CONARE and that are executors of the national qualification’s framework. With respect to the document review
guide, it can be mentioned that there is indeed joint work by the institutions National Council of Rectors
(CONARE), Higher Council of Education (CSE), National Learning Institute (INA), Ministry of Education Public
(MEP) and Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS).

The last of the subcategories, corresponds to how the International Agreements incorporate the curricular design of
the technical programs proposed by the School of Administration. To which the PEA responds that now there are no
international agreements. For its part, the PVD reinforces that the university does indeed have regulations and the
capacity to enter into international agreements, this would be done through framework agreements, however, at this
time there are no specific ones for the technical programs of the School of Administration. Finally, in the document
review guide, it is not possible to detect this type of agreement either.

Discussion:-
The first of the aspects to consider from the research can be observed that the School of Administration in its
curricular design of study plans at a technical level has a very clear relevance and relevance of these. The above is
mentioned because said technical programs are aligned with national standards regarding labor market requirements
and the standards previously established by social institutions on the matter.

This goes hand in hand with what Pérez (2016) points out, when he indicates that education is relevant if it is
consistent with the conditions and needs of the context, that is, there is a logical, close, and coherent relationship
with the norms that regulate the development and social coexistence of people, the characteristics of students and
their natural and social environment.

In addition to this, Hernández and Rodríguez (2015) highlight that when pertinence and relevance are sought in a
study plan, the training of people is sought and linked to the economic and productive sector, therefore, it becomes a
fundamental need, such that, for quite some time, educational proposals have sought to adapt to the needs of the
labor market.

Regarding equitable access, these technical programs are developed by the School of Administration of the National
University, a public education institution that guarantees access to education for the Costa Rican population, either

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through a regular offer, or through the offer of technical programs, which are part of the Institutional System of
Permanent Education, which seeks to reach all sectors of the population through external links.

However, it must be taken into consideration that when it comes to equitable access to education, it must
contemplate, as indicated by the International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean
(IESALC) (2021), the opportunity to participate in the different educational programs offered by the system,
regardless of the characteristics or conditions of the participants, which guarantee an inclusive and accessible
education for all people, paying attention to aspects of functional diversity, gender, ethnic origin and sexuality.

Additionally, Hurtado and Sánchez (2022) add that to achieve equity in education, it is necessary to put into practice
specific policies and actions so that vulnerable groups, as well as people with lower economic income, can cope
with and overcome those situations linked to social characteristics, cultural and demographic to obtain better
academic performance.

For its part, it is possible to refer to the effectiveness of learning from the construction and design of these technical
programs in strict adherence to the national qualification’s framework, which promotes the development of
competencies and learning previously defined by the qualifications and that through the curricular design are
structured to later materialize in the different academic activities as part of the execution of the technical program.

Efficiency in the use of resources has to do with the rational use of resources, which allows the School of
Administration, as well as the National University, to guarantee the sustainability of these technical programs in the
short and long time, so that its objectives and impact on the Costa Rican population are effectively met through the
development of skills and technical training.

However, as shown in the presentation of the information, there are no tools or indicators of efficiency, so it is
convenient to include indicators of effectiveness in education, such as those indicated by the Ministry of Public
Education of Costa Rica (2020):
1. Years/student
2. System efficiency coefficient
3. Average stay of dropouts in the system
4. Average stay of graduates in the system
5. Average stay of all students in the system
6. Graduates
7. Initial registration
8. Interannual dropout rate
9. Year-on-year promotion rate
10. Interannual repetition rate
11. Survival rate by grade
12. Average time to pass a year or degree.
13. Average time for a student to graduate.

Regarding this first aspect of this research, it is noted that the School of Administration in its design of technical
programs is close to meeting the aspects of educational quality according to the Organization of Ibero-American
States, however, it is necessary the inclusion of measurement elements that can be measured and verified.

The second aspect to analyze begins by contemplating the component of fundamental competencies and specific
competencies, which are present and clearly defined, both in national standards and in the technical programs
designed by the School of Administration of the Faculty of Social Sciences. from the National University.

For this purpose, the technical programs developed by the School of Administration agree with what was mentioned
by Muñoz et al., (2016), when referring to the need to establish the competencies that are desired to be developed in
the students who participate in these processes educational, for which the fundamental competencies are established
as those that are transversal, that is, they can be transferred to the tasks and functions regardless of their area of
knowledge, while the specific competencies are directly related to the area of knowledge or the position of work as
such.

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Furthermore, Galdeano and Valiente (2010) reinforce that educational centers have a direct commitment to society
to ensure that the knowledge that the student acquires in the classroom is applied in professional practice, which is
why it is the responsibility of the centers. of teaching the formation of these skills in the students, so that they can
respond to the needs of the productive sector, as could be seen in the instruments, these study programs respond to
the social and labor skills required.

The next aspect under analysis has to do with the contents of the study plan, which, as mentioned in the presentation
of the information obtained in the instruments, the contents of the technical programs are related to the
competencies, but Furthermore, they respond to the needs of the context, which is reinforced by Giraldo et al.,
(2019) when they establish that the contents must be linked when contextualized to the reality of the students, their
needs and their social environment so that there is agreement between the interests and needs, which is part of
educational quality.

Therefore, it was appreciated that the technical programs of the School of Administration contemplate in their
design and specifically in their content structure an important diversity that implies the updating of specific
knowledge of the area, new topics, or themes around that particular area, and also, transversal themes in order to
respond to the needs of the society in which they are found, as indicated by Herrera and Cochancela (2020).

With respect to the teaching and learning strategies documented in the study programs of administration technicians,
these correspond to an andragogical model, but above all, an adaptation and incorporation of technologies is made,
so that they can be used both in in-person, virtual or bimodal spaces, making the most of the tools currently
available.

Which according to Ventura (2022) become teaching and learning strategies those in which the students feel
involved in the construction of their knowledge, therefore the author recommends as the best to use awareness since
with this the attention of the student and the personalization of information are favored, since these promote
cooperation and action, which goes hand in hand with the practical component of the technical programs.

With respect to the learning evaluation processes, the technical programs in administration recognize the
incorporation of diverse activities that allow measuring, knowing, and making timely decisions about the progress in
the process of development of skills and construction of knowledge by the student body. Although it is true, the
programs establish activities such as exams, tasks, and mini projects, these correspond to generic names which, due
to their versatility, can be adapted to the needs and requirements of the student body and the context.

In line with what was mentioned by Gutiérrez et al. (2021), the validation of learning in adults must be focused on
horizontality and participation through the willingness to learn, self-learning and the confrontation of experiences,
but it is also necessary to incorporate the immediate application of learning and linking the contents with the work.

Therefore, by incorporating and reinforcing this practical component in each of the technical programs, coupled with
permanent processes of formative evaluation of learning, the School of Administration agrees with the importance
of adapting evaluation actions in its students, recognizing the implications of the characteristics of the student
population it serves and the context in which the learning process takes place.

In this way, the elements of the curricular design that have been used in the development of the technical programs
of the School of Administration are understood, which have a main relationship with the economic, social, and labor
context, but without leaving aside their own aspects. of the students to whom each of these educational programs is
directed.

Finally, the last of the aspects to be discussed in this discussion corresponds to the way in which the components of
the institutional legal framework, national legal framework, international legal framework, inter-institutional
agreements, and international agreements are linked in the design of technical programs. from the School of
Administration.

It should be noted that the School of Administration is an academic unit of the National University, therefore, said
school does not represent an entity with legal powers to act, therefore, said school acts in accordance with the

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guidelines and institutional regulations, therefore, its technical programs are in strict accordance with what is issued
in the instruction UNA-VD-DISC-024-2022, of the Vice-Rector's Office for Teaching of the National University.

In its actions, the National University (2023) ensures compliance with its principles: transformative knowledge,
humanisms, inclusion, probity, environmental responsibility, and transparency. as well as the promotion of its
values: social commitment, equity, excellence, democratic participation and respect, and the purposes of the
institution: deconcentration, dialogue of knowledge, comprehensive training, identity, and commitment,
interdisciplinarity, critical thinking and regionalization.

Now, in terms of national legislation, the National University, as an autonomous institution of higher education,
adheres strictly to the guidelines established by Costa Rican legislation on the matter, but also in this particular case,
it adapts to the procedures and requirements stipulated by the National Council of Rectors, the National Learning
Institute and the Government of Costa Rica through the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and the Ministry of
Public Education in the National Qualifications Framework, which is an important part of the inter-institutional
agreements.

In international matters, there is no international line in terms of legislation or international agreements, however,
the university has mechanisms that would allow it to develop macro agreements with other institutions or companies
outside of Costa Rica that go hand in hand with the development of skills in the professional technical training of
their educational programs.

Conclusions:-
With respect to the first of the subcategories which corresponds to the relevance of the academic offer that the
professional technical training programs have, it is concluded that they are relevant since they maintain strict
adherence to the social, economic and productive needs of the context. , in this case of the country, and this occurs
because the School of Administration programs are designed on the qualification standards designed by the
institutions of the social and productive sectors of the country.

Equitable access to the academic offering of these technical-vocational education and training programs is supported
by both the School of Administration and a unit of the National University ensuring educational inclusion, access to
education for the most vulnerable groups through of internal policies of the institution that guarantee the
participation of the most vulnerable social groups.

With respect to the Institutional Legal Framework, it is concluded that the School of Administration of the Faculty
of Social Sciences in its technical-professional education and training programs incorporates the current and current
regulations of the National University, strictly adhering to the guidelines and instructions issued by the institution,
promoting its principles, and fulfilling the mission of the UNA.

Regarding the National Legal Framework, it is concluded that the development and curricular design of the
technical-professional education and training programs of the School of Administration adheres directly to the
guidelines issued by the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica, through the National Qualifications Framework
and the participating institutions in matters of education, employability, and education.

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